Rabat

33.976563

-6.838662

Image:
Mohammed V mausoleum, Rabat

Image:
The Hassan Tower

Image:
A traditionally uniformed Moroccan guard

Image:
Ornate decorations adorn the Mausoleum

Imperial city, cosmopolitan centre of commerce and capital of Morocco, Rabat is a delight for holidaymakers. It’s a grand city, full of fine buildings and welcoming people, with plenty to see and plenty to do.
Over the centuries Rabat has been owned by the Phoenicians, Romans, Almohads and Merenids and you’ll find plenty of monuments in the city to these past cultures, not least in the ancient medina. But it’s not all about history in Rabat, there are many fine restaurants to eat in, world class hotels to stay at, and a long warm beach to relax on.

What To

Do here

Where To

Stay Here

How To

Get Here

Select An Experience

Rabat Beaches

Rabat Cultural Festivals

Rabat Culture

Rabat Family Days Out

Rabat Food and Drink

Rabat Golf

Rabat Hammams

Rabat Heritage

Rabat Luxury

Rabat MICE

Rabat Motorcycling

Rabat Music Festivals

Rabat People

Rabat Retreats

Rabat Shopping

Rabat Surfing

Rabat Beaches

Image:
Rabat's beach is wide and sandy

Image:
It's a popular place for a family day out

It’s unusual to have a capital city set by the seaside, and it’s a lovely feature of Rabat. Hitting the beach is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre ­– and the breeze coming off the Atlantic is a great way to cool off in the summer.

The gently curving beach is clean, well kept, and is used for a variety of purposes. Families, holidaymakers, surfers and walkers can be seen on the sands almost all year round, while if you’re prepared to travel a few miles further south or north you’ll find quieter beaches to enjoy.

Rabat Cultural Festivals

Image: The Lantern Procession is one of Rabat's most beautiful sights

As befits a capital city, Rabat and the surrounding area is full of cultural festivals. One of the most spectacular is the Wax Lantern (or Candle) Festival that takes place in Sale, which faces Rabat across the Bou Regreg estuary. The procession of people carrying glowing lanterns dates back to the times when Corsairs carried wax lanterns to the sanctuary of town patron Sidi Abdallah Ben Hassoun, to gain his protection before a long voyage.

The Feast of the Throne is celebrated on the 30th of July across the country, but most enthusiastically in the city where the King lives – you should make every effort to hear his address from the palace. And there are several Moussems – Mouley Bousselham in June, Dar Zhiroun in August and Sidi Ahmed ben Mansour in September.

Rabat Culture

Image: Ornate decorations adorn the Mausoleum

Rabat’s large parks give Morocco’s capital its nickname of ‘City of Flowers’, and there are imposing monuments and heritage landmarks across the city. Large swathes of Rabat are home to impressive buildings and you’ll also find the grand King’s palace there where you can watch the changing of the Royal Guard and other state occasions.

The Museum of Moroccan Arts near the river mouth was once a palace, and now houses a vast collection of Moroccan exhibits from carpets and ceramics to rich silks and jewellery. More craftsmanship can be found in the old souks in the Rabat medina, along with storytellers, musicians and artists who keep alive cultural traditions that have lasted for centuries.

Rabat Family Days Out

Image: It's a popular place for a family day out

Rabat is a great place for a family holiday. The capital city has plenty of activities and events that will entertain the children and the grown-ups.

Rabat Zoo is always a popular destination; the animals are kept in enclosures rather than cages and when you visit you’ll be able to see giraffes, lions, gorillas, rhinos and many more. Several species that are extinct in the wild thrive here.

For free fun take advantage of Rabat beach. It’s an extremely popular destination with locals and visitors who love the warm waters and golden sands. Should you be on holiday on one of Rabat’s few rainy days then you can always head to the Mega Mall. As well as the great range of shops it’s packed with things to do including a play area, bowling centre, skating rink and climbing wall. There are also plenty of places around the city for thrill seekers, including amusement parks and adventure sites.

Rabat Food and Drink

Image: Moroccan couscous is a delight

Eating out in the capital is easy, affordable and rewarding. Around the medina in the centre of the city you’ll find numerous stalls selling all manner of Moroccan food and drink­ – fish, salads, rotisserie chicken, kebabs and beans can all be found and enjoyed easily. If you’re looking for a sweet option, there are vendors who will sell you delicious pancakes or pain au chocolat.

If you’d like to eat your meal sitting down, take a stroll down Avenue Mohammed V for traditional restaurants, circle out a little further and try the food in the Hassan Quarter, or visit the coastline for some expertly cooked fresh fish.

And when you want to prepare your own it’s easy to buy ingredients; the souks of the medina are full of stalls that sell everything from fruit to meat to spices.

Rabat Golf

Image: Even the water hazards are spectacular on the Dar Es Salam Royal Golf course

Rabat is Morocco’s political and administrative capital, so of course there are going to be some great golf courses here! The main club to head for is The Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, which was commissioned by King Hassan II in the early seventies. It’s a visually stunning location, and somewhere that is, of course, fit for a king. The experience begins with a salute from the guard at the imposing gatehouse, and continues with eighteen holes around this spectacular course. Look out for the Roman column ruins between the 11th and 12th; (they were shipped in from nearby Volubis, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the flamingos in the water hazard at the third.

Further south is the newer Bouznika Bay Golf Club. Part of a holiday complex, the entire course is floodlit, allowing for some special night time rounds.

Rabat Hammams

Rabat is a cosmopolitan city, the capital of Morocco, where many of the country’s social and economic powers reside, meaning the hammam is a more important tradition than ever.

Whilst many customs have been changed by the modern world, the weekly trip to the hammam remains as popular as ever. Offering relaxation and a chance to slow down and catch up with family and friends, the hammam offers a break from the daily grind whether you’re on holiday or on business. The hammams in Rabat vary in style, and many in the more populated areas have been renovated to a high professional standard. If you’re looking for a more traditional experience, you can delve deeper into the city.

Rabat Heritage

Image:
The walls of the Kasbah of the Udayas

Image:
The imposing Tower of Hassan

Image:
One of the narrow winding streets in old Rabat

Image:
The mausoleum where King Mohammed V lies

There aren’t many places in Morocco with a richer heritage than Rabat. One of Morocco’s four Imperial Cities and now the kingdom’s capital, when you visit Rabat you’re entering a city that was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2012.

There are some grand sights in Rabat. The Mausoleum of Mohammad V, the Hassan Tower, and the Kasbah of the Udayahs are all worthy of a visit. and in the eastern part of the city you can see the ruins of the old Roman city of Sala Colonia and the Chellah Necropolis.

Rabat Luxury

Image: Enjoy a luxury stay when you visit the capital of Morocco

When a place is also called ‘The city of elegance’ you know that you are in for a luxurious treat. Rabat will meet all your needs – whether it’s a deluxe riad in the heart of the historic medina or a beach palace just outside the city. You can take a lavish break in the midst of the capital or have a five star stay on the outskirts, avoiding the crowds but with all of Rabat’s attractions close at hand.

The Moroccan capital has all the Moroccan tradition and authenticity you want, but also modern comforts to make your holiday one you won’t forget. The finest restaurants, spas and hammams await you when you choose to visit Rabat.

Rabat MICE

Image: Wow your guests with an event in the Moroccan capital

Morocco’s capital is an ideal place for business events. It’s a modern, progressive city with great infrastructure and facilities, while at the same time somewhere that still has strong connections to its heritage. There are direct flights into Rabat from most of the major cities in Europe, and good road and rail links to the rest of Morocco.

Sophisticated five star hotels across the city have excellent conference centres, and many have outdoor venues to make the most of the warm Moroccan climate. Once the hard work is out of the way, guests can head into the city to enjoy some of the finest restaurants and nightlife in the country. Rabat has several world class golf courses to enjoy, and the beach is just a few minutes from the city centre.

Rabat Motorcycling

Image: Biking in and around the capital is a great adventure

Despite being the capital of Morocco, Rabat is only the fourth largest city in the kingdom. Visitors enjoy the slightly calmer atmosphere offered by Rabat when compared with some of Morocco’s more densely populated cities.

Those who enjoy getting round on two wheels can tour round on their motorbikes in a more relaxed fashion. It is a great way to explore – like most Moroccan cities it’s a place that has many winding streets and narrow alleys. Outside the city limits you’ll find roads and trails that take you past traditional Moroccan villages and into the heart of the Moroccan countryside with all its rugged beauty.

Rabat Music Festivals

Image:
Mawazine draws the biggest names from the world of music

Image:
Alicia Keys entertaining thousands at the free festival

Image:
The street shows are as important as the main headliners

Every May Morocco’s capital plays host to one of the biggest music festivals in the world. The Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival lasts for nine days, takes place on seven stages, and was attended by over 2.5 million people in 2014.

This massive festival showcases the best African artists around, but also draws in some of the biggest names from the rest of the world – Elton John, Pharrell, Stevie Wonder and Justin Timberlake have all played Mawazine over the past few years. The festival also includes parades and workshops, and the best bit is that 90% of the shows are free to attend!

On a slightly smaller scale, but just as enjoyable, is the Chellah Jazz Festival in September. A great event of cultural exchange, it’s a chance for you to enjoy the sights and sounds of top Moroccan and European jazz musicians playing together.

Rabat People

Image:
A guard in tradition uniform at the Mohammed V mausoleum

Image:
Artisans ply their trade in the same way they've done for generations

In six hundred years Rabat has grown from a hamlet with only 100 inhabited houses to the capital of one of the most prominent countries in Northern Africa. The tipping point came when Spain expelled the Moriscos from its borders in the 17th century. The refugees arrived in, and massively expanded Rabat, setting it on the road to becoming the city it is today. A second European influx took place in 1912 when Morocco became a French Protectorate, and there are many reminders of these days across the city.

The population is also rich with Andalusian Moors, Arabs, and Amazigh – as with most large cities, Rabat is a multicultural place and happy to greet visitors.

Rabat Retreats

Image: Rabat is a great place to go on a yoga retreat

Rabat is a welcoming and friendly city with a range of retreat houses and hotels. In the medina, you’ll find traditional riads that centre themselves around internal gardens or courtyards with calming sculptures and water features, ideal places to spend time during the heat of the day.

If you’d prefer more modern accommodation, Rabat also has big, luxurious hotels to relax in. You can rest body and soul here – spend time by a tranquil pool, savour a hot stone massage or do as the Moroccans do and head to a hammam.

Rabat Shopping

Image: Traditional homemade drums for sale

Strolling along the wide palm-lined boulevards of Rabat amongst the mixture of art deco and colonial architecture, it’s lovely to wander into one of the enticing shopping destinations along the way. The relaxed cosmopolitan atmosphere you’ll find in Rabat gives you a chance to watch the local craftsmen plying their trades, as you’re left to browse at your own accord.

The medina is a great example of the city’s retail diversity. Old and new items are sold side by side, amidst a patchwork of shops with their unusual wares spilling into the streets. The most luxurious gifts can be found here, including the traditional rugs of Rabat which are praised throughout the world for their bright colours and eye-catching patterns. Rue Souika and Rue des Consul are the places to go for a fabulous collection of fine crafts and culinary delights.

Rabat Surfing

Image: Catch the Atlantic waves when you stay in Rabat

The Moroccan capital’s location on the west coast gives it good access to the Atlantic wind and waves that create such fine surf further south. In fact, during the summer months especially, Rabat has some of the best waves in the whole of the country, hollow, powerful and fast. Getting to the water is easy, and as you’d expect from a city the size of Rabat there are several surf schools. Waves to surf are Kbeir – a short, powerful left that is good with smaller swells. Just outside the jetty you can find Cascade, another good left, while near the river is Plongeoir and Bergama.

Staying In Rabat

Image:
Rabat has some amazing hotels and riads to stay in

Image:
One of the many traditional Riads in Rabat

It’s easy to find somewhere to stay in Rabat. If you’re looking for some low-cost accommodation then you need to head to the area around the old Medina, where you’ll find hostels, guesthouses and the occasional hotel. More expensive hotels are in the outskirts of the city or near to the royal palace.

Getting To Rabat

Image: You can fly to Rabat from many major European cities

Getting to the Moroccan capital is simple thanks to Rabat International Airport. Though it’s on the other side of the river to Rabat, in neighbouring Sale, it’s only a short five mile drive to get to the outskirts of the city. You can fly direct from Stansted, or from Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham with a change at Charles de Gaulle, Paris.
Rabat is well connected to the rest of Morocco, with trains running into the city from every major town, and buses shuttling regularly to the rest of Morocco.

Search for flights

Entries From

The Journal

Information

03/03/2016

The Imperial Cities

Fez, Marrakech, Meknes, and Rabat. Four historic cities that have played pivotal roles in the history of Morocco. Fez has been the seat of power in Morocco for four different dynasties, for a total of around 650 years. Built by Idris I between 789 and 808, since then the Marinids, Wattasids and Alouites have all…

Touring

15/04/2015

Seven Days, Seven Cities

So you’ve got a week in Morocco, how can you cram everything in? Whilst we’d recommend a more leisurely exploration of the Kingdom, here’s how you can do seven cities in seven days. Monday – Arrive in Tangier on the ferry from Spain and head for the Grand Socco, a palm-lined plaza at the entrance…